All posts by Lori Maranville

Ypsilanti mother Yodit Mesfin Johnson uses the word “synergy” to describe the partnership that developed with fellow parent Tamara Tucker-Ibarisha when they launched their Black Men Read (BMR) organization. The idea started simple enough in 2016 when a teacher at Johnson’s son’s school asked her to help find readers for his class, specifically black male

An infusion of cash, enthusiasm and some cooperation among community entities launched a project to build a new skate park in the Ypsilanti area. In August, the Tony Hawk Foundation and Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation announced the award of a $250,000 Built to Play grant to build a park in the Ypsilanti area with